When we think of Olympic champions, we often think about athletes who were bred into something and who thought of themselves competing in the Olympics for their entire lives. Erin Cafaro Mackenzie has always been an athlete, but the thought of Olympic Gold in rowing only came into her mind several years before she started competing.
Erin's first love was basketball, and she came from the Central Valley in California. She got into rowing when she walked on at UC Berkley. At 5'9 she's much smaller than other competitors in rowing, and that meant she had to work her butt off. And work she did. A coach once said that she could "run through a brick wall," and she worked her way to becoming an Olympic champion...twice.
Over the past few years, Erin has switched gears and begun coaching along with her husband and well known strength and conditioning coach, Brian Mackenzie, at Power, Speed, and Endurance. Today, Erin has stepped away from her leadership role at PSE and is examining her life in the sunset of her rowing career.
This podcast is loaded with information for athletes, competitors, and those of you in the military and civilian world who are about to go through a transition or who are trying to figure out their next step and path to the future.
Erin was also an awesome interview and I think we keep it very entertaining.
Let me know what you think!
Chris